Reading for 30 minutes Per Day Makes You Live Almost 2 Years Longer

Do you fret over your own mortality? If your plans to colonize another planet or create clones of yourself fail, you can still increase your chances of living a longer life by doing something very simple: reading books. According to research, reading just 30 minutes a day can add two years to your life compared to someone who doesn't read at all. Of course, if you performed this for 50 years, you would read for more than a year and gain just one year of actual productivity, but you would still be ahead of the game.

One thing to bear in mind is that it's especially book reading—not just any reading. According to the study, those who read books rather than magazines—over 3600 persons aged 50 or older—lived longer. More than 3.5 hours a week of reading lowers your risk of passing away by 23% compared to people who don't read. You have a 17% lower chance if it takes up to 3.5 hours. Why would reading make you live longer? It has been hypothesized that reading helps to engage the mind and enhance cognitive performance.